So this morning I attended an 830 class for the first time since I was a freshman. It's pretty harsh. Especially as I have to go every Friday until December.
But at least I don't have to teach anything this term. I am so bad at teaching. I teach drunk. That can't be a good thing.
The only other thing is my office. Last year, they kept forgetting to give me an office, and so in the end I was stuck with four PhD students in this tiny place. They were never there, and it was sweet. I had two drawers and my own table and chair and a window and a phone.
This year they have chucked me out. I'm lumped in with another 20 or so MA students. Except, because I'm a new addition to the office, they've plunked me at the back corner, in this little hole, against the wall, with no light. I'm sharing a table with four others, and there's a wooden divider separating me from human contact. No drawer, no phone. No light.
At least my chair is nice.
And that's my story.
So the book case is together. Things are happening.
I have ransacked my closet.
You know, it turns out that I have a lot of shoes.
I did some calculations, and this is what I came up with (includes pairs at Andy's place and in storage in the basement):
4 pairs of long boots
3 pairs of short boots
2 pairs of winter boots
1 pair of skates
1 pair of wellies
4 pairs of loafers
4 pairs of strappy heels
4 pairs of pumps
2 pairs of clogs
1 pair of mules
2 pairs of strappy flat slides
3 pairs of slingback flats
2 pairs of flat dress shoes
2 pairs of mary-jane style sneakers
12 pairs of sneakers
1 pair of sandals
1 pair of flip flops
1 pair of crocs
1 pair of water shoes
2 pairs of slippers
9 pairs of cheap chinese-style slides
Total: 62
(and I feel like I've forgotten a pair or two)
This is after I threw out several pairs a few months ago.
And what I think is interesting (and I see the relevancy here. If you don't, your problem) is that I only own five hats: two baseball caps (plus a signed Sens one that I don't wear, so it doesn't count), two winter toques (one of which I only wear after hockey), and a decorative toque (that I can't find).
So Stefan and I went to IKEA last night to get some things.
Except I didn't have enough of some things and I forgot others (including a large bookshelf), so I had to go back today. By myself.
See, I'm overhauling my closet (because I have too many clothes/shoes and refuse to get rid of them), and I can't do anything until I have this bookcase put together.
So I bought this bookcase. Hauled it all the way across the parking lot, in the pouring rain, and took it home.
I opened the package and took out all the pieces.
Only to find out that one of the pieces has a huge chunk smashed out of it.
So I had to return it. This would be my second visit to IKEA in an hour. By a person who suffers from an anxiety disorder and who can't handle crowds. Solo.
I can't get the damned pieces to fit back in the goddamned box.
So I slash the box, jam things back in, and tape it the hell up.
Oh yeah, and it's still pouring.
I haul all 20kg of the damned thing back through that hellish parking lot and stand in line to return it, which wasn't a big deal. Some brawny man gave me another one and I hauled it across the parking lot again. I'm so wet and overheated with my exhertions that I immediately fog up my windows.
Then I run out of fuel.
So I get home - eventually. Actually, it only took an hour. It just felt like longer. I guess hell is like that.
And I make myself some tea. And I begin the assembly. All pieces are in good working order. I'm following the directions closely, because I had a mishap with the first one of these I put together a little while ago.
I'm nailing the back board into place as I finish my tea when something grabs my attention. I immediately start swearing and jumping up and down, waving my hammer, my mouth and hands full of nails.
I've put the damned thing together backwards.
So that's where I am right now. I have to take the entire thing apart and start again.
I think I should just go back to bed. It's such a nice, rainy day.
Ran into my lovely ex-co-worker Jen and her Jeff last night. It was Jeff who recognized me across the Bloblaws parking lot, even though he's met me all of three times and I was wearing a baseball hat and a huge sweater.
But I got to meet baby Jack, who's cute as a button (and my button collection dares you to say that buttons aren't cute), and to exchange cell numbers with Jen. Hopefully I'll get to see her a bit now that she has settled in with the baby and all.
Other than that, things are starting to become routine.
I try to get up a little earlier each day (because noon is not really conducive to good work habits). I eat, read the paper, walk the dogs, maybe shower, some days take my mother to physio. Then I get stuck into my work, reading, taking notes, doing research. Much of this stuff requires half a mind, so I can do it while watching television or something, and I can take breaks any time I want. Plus I get to wear sweatpants all day and not brush my hair.
I am going to try to go to school one day a week and plunk myself in the library for five or six hours in between teaching, just so I can get some sort of focus to my days. I also want to learn how to use the microfiche and all the crazy stuff the library has to offer. Perhaps I'll make TRAD show me how the library at Ottawa U works.
But I'm mostly around, and I'm always on my cell, and my schedule is pretty flexible these days, so if you need me or want me for anything, you know where I am.
I now have a new cold.
Which means that my dreams are interesting again.
My dream last night was one where Melinda and I made a pact with the Devil's underlings, and in return for whatever we wanted (this wasn't discussed in the dream, so I don't know what it was), we had to carry out a military-style operation across a river, to assassinate one person and kidnap two others. There was a teleconference with Lucifer himself at one point, in the underling's cushy white office.
Very odd.
. . . and this is the best photo of my little cousin ever.
It got compressed height-wise on my widescreen computer (I set it as my desktop), so it's even more super-cartoon-y-good.
I am having the weirdest dreams lately. I think it has something to do with my new duvet, which is the warmest thing on the planet - too warm at times.
I had this dream yesterday that I went to play hockey on a Thursday, and there were all these objects embedded in the ice, and then I went to the lockerroom and got these kittens, one white and one black, and then there was this business with a ghost in my bed, and then we all ended up on a quest to the gates of hell, with the ghost as my guide and the kittens as my protecting angels.
And hell ended up looking remarkably like a Wal-Mart with energy-saver lighting.
So.
I'm pretty much resigned to not hanging with the Senators this season. I have one more ace up my sleeve, but after that, I'm just hooped, I guess. So I'll be doing a literature-based project along the same lines, which isn't so bad.
Then I got my TA listing today. I'm not teaching intro, which is good, and I'm the only TA for Culture and Symbol, which is good (because it means the class is small and there's not much work for me to do), but they forgot to give me a class for the fall term. They always seem to forget that I'm a TA at that school. Like they always take my offices away. They'd better not do that this term. My office rocks. It's just me and four PhD students who don't have the same schedules as me, so I have this little room all to myself.
Anyway, because I supposedly wasn't going to be teaching this term (and apparently not receiving a paycheque) I answered an ad for a PhD student who needed a transcriber. Unfortunately, they'd already found someone before they placed the ad on the listserv. But they're keeping me in mind.
I also might have a part time thing going down where I monitor the behaviour of my great aunt Bobby, who has Alzheimer's and a broken hip and has to stay in bed all the time. But I don't know how comfortable I would feel doing that (I have no experience dealing with old people), so I have a trial run on Saturday and then I get to decide after that. But if you know anyone who is a physiotherapist or a kinesiologist or someone who is looking for an easy part time job with a very intelligent and entertaining old lady, please let me know.
That's about all that's going on with me right now. I made myself up a schedule today (which now has to be revised, because I'll be teaching and not transcribing), and I'm just trying to gear myself up to actually getting this whole thesis thing off the ground, starting with my new research proposal. It'll all get started . . . on Monday . . .
Here, actually.
Ive been battling a cold for the past week and so have spent a lot of time sleeping, cleaning my house, and baking.
It's a very exciting life that I lead.
So that's why I haven't had much to say.
But I'd like to announce that I could easily go broke shopping here. It just looks like an easy place to max out a credit card or two.
So I am sitting in my office, at 8:30 AM, on my last day of employment. I am here this early because my boss' sister is coming shortly to retrieve the cottage keys.
No worries, though. I have been left PLENTY of work to do to keep me occupied until quitting time. (HAHAHA - quitting time)
The office is otherwise deserted. Wayne is on his way to Toronto and thence to Ireland, and Sheri has the day off.
So it's just me.